Monday, 30 July 2012

Sunday, 29 July 2012

Well it wasn't Lanzarote but we still managed to have a good holiday.And I'm sure that in time we'll forget the kids arguing and moaning and demanding stuff and attacking each other ...and we'll just have a warm glow remembering the sunny days on the beach and the sandcastles and the fabulous picnics and the Malibu and Pomegranate and the chips with loads of vinegar. The cramped caravan with too-small-and-too-boney beds and the endless washing up and the early-rising kids who really needed to sleep longer will be forgotten and we'll just talk fondly of the late night bbq's and card games and the brilliant weather we had in the middle of a summer wash-out. I'm feeling rather nostalgic about it already.As I head to my king size memory foam...

Thursday, 19 July 2012

Can I possibly cram anything else into this week?I have been to Blackpool with my sister and ten 11/12 year olds, been out for my Dad's 70th, been to the little man's school play and end of year church service, mopped up tears as the big one left all her friends behind at Middle School, taken the little one to his last ever Beavers and sorted out presents and cards for teachers & at least a million birthdays this week...and I've still got the big one's horsey lesson and the little one's "swim up" to Cubs (a bizarre ritual where the kid goes under a table wearing a Beaver sweatshirt and comes out the other end in a Cub sweatshirt....he's not the fastest at getting changed...it could be a late night...)Then of course we have all the shopping and ironing and packing to do for our super-caravan-holiday-of-a-lifetime on Saturday. (It's gonna be sunny. My iPhone says so.)

AND just as the kids break up from school I finally find myself inspired for Autumn/Winter. Good timing Dawn! Maybe I'll take my computer to Filey and my sis can entertain the 5 kids?

Friday, 13 July 2012

At the Beavers Olympic Night the other week the little man came home and said, "Guess where I came in the skipping contest?" "Ooooh....third?" I said.Nope."Second??"Nope"Not... First??!""NO, LAST!!!"Oh dear.I witnessed his skipping skills myself yesterday when the cancelled-for-health-and-safety-reasons sports day was re-scheduled.He is indeed rubbish.What can I say? It's not something he's ever shown an interest in....

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

There are 6 girls who got in at the new school....5 mums. (2 twinnies got a place, clever twinnies)It will no longer be possible for them to walk to school. Unless they get up at 5am to spend an hour in front of the mirror and leave at 6am to get there...in walking boots. But there's no point in 5 mums doing 10 car journeys a week each.So we had a get together in the pub last night and came up with a rota.It took some doing. Had to work round dodgy working hours, siblings, Lyndsay's Dad, dancing classes and my small car.We sorted it after a couple of vinos.Hope it flipping works 'cos I really don't want to swap the lovely Mini for an ugly bus...And please don't tell the mums who own the 3 boys who got a place....there's no room for boys in my car.

Monday, 9 July 2012

A week on Saturday me and my sister are going on our annual jaunt with the kids. Last year we upgraded to a 4 bedroomed villa with private pool in Lanzarote.It was fantastic.This year we are going to......A caravan in Filey.Ace. Can't wait.Especially as it's gonna chuck it down every day.I texted her today to say that in order to get the kids out from under our feet in the caravan I will devise a scavenger hunt for them. They did it at the kids club on the cruise we went on a couple of years ago. Give the kids a list of items they have to find then put your feet up for half an hour while they go off and look for them. Sorted.My sister sent back some suggestions for the list.....not quite what I had in mind...

Thursday, 5 July 2012

Last night me and my sis went to the pub for a lovely meal with our mum....and 15 "young wives"The young wives are a group of women who have been meeting up for like 50 years or something...since they were indeed young wives. Now they are not so young. My mum, who is 66, is about the youngest one there. They go out for pub grub every July and me and my sister are dragged along for the occasion.They were very entertaining. Especially Iris who was too hot so she got the air con turned on. Then she worried it was making her food go cold so she had them turn it off. Then she was too hot so it went back on. Then she was cold. So she moved to the other side of the room cos she daren't ask for it turning off again.

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

The big one went to her new school for the day today. She was really nervous. She was wide awake at stupid o'clock. She spent an hour in front of the mirror to make sure she looked ok. She packed and repacked the pen, pencil and notebook she had to take with her. There were 9 kids going from her current school so at least she had some mates. Most kids who got a place were the only ones from their schools.Anyway, as luck would have it she loved it. Got a new mate so didn't need the old ones. Looking forward to starting in September now.Thank god for that!

Sunday, 1 July 2012

We'd been told the queues at the bar were 90 minutes long on Friday night so we masterminded a fantastic smuggling scheme. Me and my friend Sammy hid miniature bottles of vodka down our wellies and the other half hid small bottles of wine up his sleeves and lager down his pants! (He found his walking boots at the last minute so no need for the Geoff wellies. Panic over)

It proper chucked it down on the pack-a-poncho but it didn't matter.We got wristbands for the front pit so when they came on we had a fantastic view. And it stopped raining.They were just brill.Much better than Spike Island in 1990.